Week 4: Keeping pace

Week Four.

My desk at ESaThis week Anna, Lauren, and I worked together on most of our job assignments. We did this because a lot of the designers had meetings with their clients and they were out for a couple of days so it was pretty low key. We ordered a lot of samples for contractor boards, we filed away all the samples that needed to be taken care of, and we made some more finish boards. My favorite things I did this week consisted of photo shopping a project for one of the designers; I’ve come to love Photoshop more as I’ve learned new tricks. (Like holding shift makes a STRAIGHT LINE!! Would’ve been so helpful to know that). I also ordered a bunch of samples for two of the designers that work on most of the hospitality projects and got to ordered new fabrics because some were discontinued. I loved getting to be apart of a project and help make decisions. 

Finish Boards for Mckenzie-Williamette Project

Does the company market their services? Is there a particular market or particular markets the company targets? 

For ESa there is a marketing director named Sandy who is in charge of marketing for the company. She markets the company in a lot of different ways such as: healthcare design magazine ads, write ups in the local newspapers, TV interviews, and different conferences. Sandy is also in charge of photo shoots for the company and working with the designers. However, a lot of the way ESa gets business is by word of mouth from other companies that have received their work and passed on the reference. Or if a company visits the space and wants something similar designed at their facility. Leslie also said that 80% of the design work is repeat clients.

The target market is mainly healthcare.  However, when ESa started out Earl Swensson was known for condominiums in the 60s and 70s. Earl caught the vision for what designing for Healthcare could be and was one of the very first firms to start working with Healthcare. A lot of the standards and codes for Nashville today with healthcare were first worked through with ESa. ESa also works with higher/lower education, cultural arts, and hospitality.

http://www.esarch.com/places/portfolio/ 

What type of strategic planning happens?

Who ESa is as a company is a business and community minded company. The higher up leadership such as David Miller and Earl Swensson are the visionaries of the company. However, ESa employees have all gone a specific way of being hired. They are looking for a specific person that is hard working and works well with all kinds of people. They said it from the beginning that they are looking for people with good work ethic because they can teach people skills and build on that but they need someone with the drive. So there are a lot of ways that ESa has a vision for different parts of the company. 

Abbey Stepanek

This week I want to introduce you to your friend and mine, Abbey Stepanek. While I begin I need to start with thanking Abbey for telling me before career day to go speak with ESa, and because of that I have an internship with this company. Abbey Stepanek is a recent UT grad and the newest member of the ESa interior design department now making 25 interior designers at ESa. Abbey’s current role is to work with designers Ken Bowman and Christie McCullough on the St. Anthony’s healthcare project. Abbey was an intern last year and as an intern her favorite thing was learning about finishes and meeting with all the reps. As Abbey begins she is excited about being apart of the Nashville Design Community and getting to work with big companies. 

Week 3: Into the Swing of Things

This was a short week because of Memorial Day and boy did it fly by.

This week I worked on contract boards, finish boards, furniture specs, and a million other tiny things in between. I think one of my favorite things is when the different reps come in and teach us about their product and what the behind the scenes of making it looks like. A designer also came in and talked about her art and the many different ways you can use art in a healthcare setting. That presentation was so interesting because the designers ask tons of different questions about what is up to code and meets fire code, they are so detailed its so crazy, I love it. I love watching their knack for finding a product that can keep a patient as safe as possible. I also love presentation because sometimes the rep will say this can outlast tears and scratches. And as soon as they it and someone gets the sample in their hand they will try to destroy that sample to make sure it is up to par with what they are representing.

And sometimes people send you really long samples of rubber base and you have to model it. (Lauren our comedic relief!)

 This week I talked to Leslie about legal recognition, professional interaction and professional design. First we talked about the legal aspects of design. At ESa you must have a license and be registered in the state of TN. Values of the company are very important to this company. You also must take the NCIDQ when the time comes. Most everyone is involved with IIDA, many are LEED accredited and others are working closely with EDAC. They are also apart of life long learning and promote that with the CEUs that they attend. Not only does ESa have high values for their designers but is incredibly involved within their community. They do pro-bono work frequently with surrounding companies, they have a $5 Friday wear jeans and contribute to a local charity, work closely with the American Heart Association (David Miller is on the board) and during Christmas work with Ginger town to raise support (last year they raised over $2,000 this money went to children’s hospital, senior living facility, etc.) They also have a mentoring program called ACE that helps unprivileged students in schools be mentored by designers/architects to learn the basics of engineering, construction and make them aware of good design. We also talked about conflict within the job and what that looks like. Leslie said she has found most of her conflict to be with the clients and them wanting products to be a certain thing and meet their needs. Sometimes Leslie has to stand her ground and show them that it needs to meet code more than wanting their way or showing them new products that do the same thing as the old ones they are attached too. The only other conflict has been like a scheduling conflict when the client thought they were having a phone interview and going over the final review and the designers were unaware it was suppose to be their final presentation. 

This week I want to introduce you to my supervisor, Leslie. Leslie is from Auburn University and has been working with ESa for a number of years. Like I’ve said before Leslie is very involved with the pro-bono projects, which she enjoys the most by receiving the affirmation from her clients when the design is finished. Leslie is also very involved in the many different programs of ESa and is the coordinator of many as well (ginger town). I’m very grateful Leslie has taken on the job of supervisor and takes the time to answer so many of my small questions, she has a lot of knowledge of this firm and is always willing to help us out. 

Week 2: Digging In

Week 2

And I continue to dig in with ESa and learn the ins and outs of this interior design firm. This week I’ve only continued to learn more about the company and become more comfortable around the people.  It’s been really interesting talking to the different designers because a lot of our conversations start with how they have all been interns. Which is really great for us because they know what our job is like and can easily explain and relate to what we are doing in the office.  I also think that’s really cool that this company kind of makes everyone go through each position to better help them understand the people they are working with. (Not everyone starts as an intern in the interiors but a good majority have.)

This week was more of the same thing, ordering samples, Photo shopping more things, putting together more finish boards, and filing samples. As we’ve gone on this week we become better at our tasks and faster at them, which is comforting because last week it seemed a little overwhelming and this week I know I am capable of doing it. I think I especially enjoyed this week because Lauren told me of a project that our supervisor Leslie was working on a project that is non-profit and that is something I find really interesting and would love to be apart of. So that was really great to hear about and talk to Leslie about because it something that I’ve wanted to know more about.

This week I talked with Leslie about communication and how a team works together and Design Phases within each project. In these phases a lot of team work is required of all the different people working together which consists of: interior designers, architects, contractors, value engineers, the clients, the owner's rep, and the CE Architect. The PM (project manager) is incharge of coordinating meetings and communication. Communication between team members can happen in multiple ways such as: e-mails, sending changed files, phone, posting models, and meetings. The PM also makes a schedule at the beginning of the project to give a timeline when projects must be completed and deadlines you have to meet. These target dates are usually set in stone, sometimes they will get extension but you better not count on it. Some projects can last a total of 6 months for design process and construction 12 months while other projects can last as along as 5 years. 

Below is my understanding of what each design phase looks like.

Schematic Design this is where the designers lay out in plan what they want their design to look like and then work through it making lots of changes. This is where all your programming happens, the initial layout, contracts and generic written information.

Next is Design Development which is where they address the design more in depth. They have user group meetings and asses the needs of their clients, along with getting them to make approvals and initial finishes are chosen. They also get a set budget written out.

Then there is Contract Documents this is where all the detailing, fine tuning, and finishes are assigned. The value engineers, contractor, designers, owners rep all get together and set budget, this is also considered the pricing phase. The main purpose is to make sure the contractor can understand the plans and build it out. 

Finally, there is the Contract Administration phase this is the final phase of the game. Submittals are done, physical samples are approved, cardboard mock ups and site visit to make sure everything is clear between designers and contractors are running smoothly. 

It’s funny because this internship has been quite different than anything else I’ve been apart of. It’s been that way because from day one they told us they want to help us if we want to be apart of any certain job, learn how to use Revit better, or just understand a position we think we may be interested in doing. I have just felt very cared for in that that I’m not just being used to get certain things but they really care about what I learn and take away from this opportunity. 

I’ve also enjoyed going to informals (which is when reps come and show us their products) and luncheons (where reps come and bring us lunch and talk about their products). I guess I’ve never really fully understood the relationship between designer and rep, so it’s been great to grasp what they are all about. I’ve come to learn that the reps are working alongside the designers to make the space they are designing function as well as possible and be a lasting design. Therefore, the reps need the feed back from the designers on how to make their products better. Which I think is so wonderful because last year when I worked in residential it was really different and the reps didn’t really ask what they could do to help the designer out. (Given residential and commercial are in a different playing field.) It also makes sense that people say, use your reps as a tool on your projects. Some of the presentations are less exciting than the others but it’s fantastic to get to hold these different products in your hands and become more knowledgeable about them.

I’ve also enjoyed these meetings because the designers ask really great questions that I would never thought of and have a lot of wisdom to bring to the table. It is really great to watch collaboration in action.

So last week I introduced to you one of the interns I am working with and this week I’ll introduce you to the other her name is Anna.

 

Anna is from the University of Cincinnati. She is going to be in her 4^th year of design school (like me) next year, the only difference is they go for 5 years in their program. Anna also has gotten to co-op in San Francisco with another firm. I think it’s safe to say that Lauren and I are very grateful for Anna. She has a lot of knowledge of what an active firm is like and has really worked on a lot of different things. (She also was there the week before us, so she kind of knows the ropes better than we do.) Anna’s favorite part of a project is the rendering and we commonly refer to her as “genius Anna”. 

Week 1: The Journey Begins

Week 1

(My first week was one week ago.)

My first week at Earl Swensson Associates was really exciting for me. I was just excited to see how a commercial interior design firm  functions behind the scenes and what goes into the design process. I was welcomed in with open arms and immediately given tasks to handle, which was encouraging to see our role as interns to put to good use and to feel like part of the team. I’m interning beside two other girls from Auburn and Cincinnati, together the three of us make up the interiors intern department and run things as smoothly and quickly as possible.

The first week we spent on ordering fabrics, making finish boards, creating contract boards and editing floor plans in Photoshop. For a lot of these different projects we spent this week learning the 'how to's' of putting it all together and what the proper way it should be visualized. We also have got to meet countless reps who have been showing off their carpet, wall covering, fabrics, ceiling tiles, and other materials. I’ve really loved getting to be involved in so many numerous projects already and just seeing the different designers around us and the way they work. Not to mention the work environment here is very inviting, everyone is so kind and willing to listen to you and talk to you about your questions. I feel like it’s a very close-knit group of people working beside each other, which has been a treat.

I talk with Leslie about the organizational structure of the company as well. We had to ask Janet (a designer who has been around longer than Leslie) about what kind of company Earl Swensson Associates is. She said we are  in fact a corporation, from there Leslie went on to explain how the structure of the company looks. (Below there is a graph to explain what I am writing) Basically, it starts with David (who is now in charge of the company) then the principals then the architects and the interior designers. For the interior designers we have horizontal structure and are more concerned with people collaborating together instead of having a senior designer, designer, and junior designer. It is a very family focused environment to encourage team work and that we are all working towards the same goal. With the architects it is a little more vertical structure but they still believe in the working as teams, I guess the only difference is when you are an architect starting out at the company they call you an EP which is referring to them as "intern architects" but really they have graduated and working full-time with the company. Some peoples titles change but some architects that have been around for years are still considered an EP. So there structural system is very different. I love that the interiors department is a horizontal structure and is more concerned with getting the projects accomplished and what the end result is and not where it's going to move them on the vertical scale.

I figured I’d start off by introducing you two the people I spend most of my time with and then we’ll go from there. So from the first week I’ll introduce to my friend and fellow intern, Lauren.

Lauren and I arrived on the same day to start work together and found out we had a mutual friend. Lauren is a soon-to-be graduate from Auburn (this internship is her last part and she graduates in August.) It’s been really fun getting to talk to the other interns about what their programs at school is like and what their favorite part of the design process is like. Lauren enjoys the construction document phase and getting to do the research, as do I. Lauren also interned with a residential firm last semester so we get to compare notes. I’m really thankful for the girls I work with they are both wonderful, very talented, and willing to work together to get the job done. (Not to mention they have impeccable style.)